Batch sintering plant



Get. 24, 950 W- KELSEY 2,527,310

BATCH SINTERING PLANT Filed April 26, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. 24, 1950 W KELSEY BATCH SINTERING PLANT Filed April 26, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1950 VoFFlcE BATCH SINTERING PLANT Walter Kelsey, New York, NQY.

Application April 26, 1948, Serial No. 23,305

. l This invention relates to batch sintering plants. The object of this invention is to make possible an economical plant of large capacity for sinteringne enriched ores and smaller plants for the small steel mills, for the disposal of fly ash, and w other uses. Y

In the well known batch sintering plant heretofore used, the term -sinteringy pan includes in the working unit av sintering pan,.a grate and a suction chamber, all of which revolve as a whole to dump the finished sinter charge. c

Instead of using this known dumping sintering pan, a horizontal stationary grate,` a stationary suction chamber below the grate, and 'a movable U frame having two parallel legs and a joining member with a rear bar or wall completing the mould or frame, for holding the stock to be sintered, are used in the .-present invention. Said mould or frame is horizontally disposed around the margin and above the sta- After the grate below this frame has performed its sintering action and the stock has been converted to a sinter and while still held by the mould or frame, the rear bar or wallis displaced.V and the horizontal U frame is moved horizontally away from the grate, to a'breaker roller having spikes to break up the sinter within the frame, said roller being disposed horizontally aligned from the grate to act upon the horizontally moving sinter in the frame. This horizontal frame, when transposed, by suitable mechanism, from its position above the grate to its position belowl the sinter breaker roller, makes it possible to discharge the sinter cake out of thef frame, away from. the grate in one operation and at one working levelwith the formation of the sinter. f

This new sinter frame, sinter frame operating mechanism, and breaker roller, is less expensive the charge car vvFrom these tanks sinter and sinter tank isrun into Vthe charge car which :tionary grate, and is movable laterally away from ,the grate.

` nmctions to charge each'sintering pan as re- 55Y quired. The improvement consists in moving the charge car and the hood with the ignition means in directions not inv coniiict with the direction of movement of the.sinter frame.

The improved plant produces less dust than the dumping sintering pan operating vertically, and the improved combination of equipment provides for readily collecting any dust laden air.

VThe treatmento fthisdust laden air is outside of the direct path of sinter production. Likewise, the gases, products of combustion, from the horizontal side dischargesinter pan, are discharged outside of the direct path of sinter production and can be handled as may be required.

More particularly, the improved sinter frame is of U shape, the jlegs-of which` are connected with mechanism such` as chains passing over sprockets operated from a source of power,which chainsmove the Uv frame horizontally to and fro. In the preferred embodiment the U is closed by a vertically movable rear bar or wall to complete the mold or frame around the grate, and this enclosing rear bar or wall is moved out of the path of the lU frame and the sinter held therein before said U.vframe is moved horizontally away from the stationary grate, in side discharge fashion to and under the sinter breaker roller. f

Air tight connecting members are provided and also means to guide the frame during its horizontal to and fr0 movement.

The invention will be further described, an embodiment shown in the drawings, and the ininvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying-drawings,

Fig. 1 isa vertical section of a plantembodying the invention taken onA line I-I of Fig. 2,

-and seen inthe direction of the arrows;

,Y Fig. 2 is a partialgplan of the plant embodying the invention; as seen Yfrom line 2-2 of Fig. 1;-

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal section of the plant embodying the invention, as seen in the direction of the arrows of line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig, 4 is adiagram of operating parts to show the horizontal sliding movement of the frame, and breaker roller equipped with spikes so vas to break the sinter cake as it is moved horizontally below the roller, as seen from line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is av vertical'diagrammatic section of the air valve shown in Fig. '1;

Fig..6 is-'a vertical section taken on line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7'is a vertical section taken on line 1-1 ofFigf; v'

jcharging position, (see Fig. 2).

Fig. 8 is a plan view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken on line Ill- I0 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the frame has a front frame joining member or wall 26 and two end frame parts or walls 28, generally speaking forming a, U-shaped frame. A rear bar or wall 21 is provided to close the open of the U to form a mold. This frame 25 is above and around three sides or margin of the horizontal stationary grate 29, with the rear wall 21 along the margin of the fourth side of the grate, this combination forming a horizontal sintering pan which holds the sinter stock while being sintered. The tops of the three sides of the frame '25 and the top of the rear wall 21, are level and each side has the same height above the grate 29. The grate 29 is supported on a beam structure 29A which is carried by the walls of a fixed suction chamber 19. The top of these suction chamber walls is level with the top of the grate and carry also the bed plates 46A and 41A supporting frame parts 28 and 26 and bed plate 48A supporting rear bar 21. On the bed plates, bearing surfaces for the U frame are provided. The rear bar has a bearing surface which is lower than the bearing surfaces for the U frame, which allows the frame and sinter to move over the bed plate below the rear bar, when it is removed.

A line shaft 42 with clutch connection to sprocket wheel 43, chain drive to sprocket wheel 39 on countershaft 4|, (see Fig. 4), rotates the shaft 4I. Two drive sprocket wheels 38 are located on the shaft 4| aligned with the end walls 28 of the frame 25. Connections to the rear ends of the walls 28 are made by chains 31 and 31A. The lower part of chain 31 connects to. the lower part 44 of wall 28, passes under and around driving sprocket wheel 38, under idler guide wheel 36, thence over top of idler Wheel 32,

turning under and attaching to the top of and 'at the end 45 of wall 28. To move the frame 25 rearwardly from its position over the grate 29, the two chains 31 attached to the two wall ends 44 are pulled back by the driving sprocket wheels 38 bringing connections 44 to the position 44A and connections to position 45A. This brings the front wall 26 connected with the front end of the walls 28, to a position away from the grate to the position 25A, which is the full sinter dis- The joining member or front wall 26 serves as a platen to discharge the sinter cake. Reversing the direction of driving sprocket wheel 38, the ends of chains 431A connecting to walls 28A at 45A are pulled back by action of the chains around idler wheels 32 to the position 45. This returns the front wall 26 to its position over the grate 29, to act as the pan for the sinter stock, and completes the return of the discharge operating cycle. The frame 25 is kept in position during its movement by the guide wheels 34 and 34A bearing against the frame ends 28.

The part of the grate, the grate bars on which the sinter stock rests and is sintered are placed aligned with the motion of the sinter and the sinter moving frame. This is shown by the views of the grate 29 in Figs. 6, 7, 9, and 10. The ends ofthese grate bars 29 shown in Fig. 9 are notched so that they will not be forced out of vbed plate 46A (Fig. 6).

4 their bearing by the force of friction of the sinter on the bars. y

The plate facing on the inside of each leg 28 of the U frame extends down, as shown by 28C, below the top level of the bearing bar 46 to prevent as far as possible sinter getting on the bearing surface of a zigzag bar 46.

Before the horizontal movement laterally of the grate or the side discharge movement of the frame is begun, the back wall 21 is moved up the guides 30 to the position 21A (Fig. 1) the removal of this back wall 21 permitting the sliding movement of the frame 25 as described. The back wall 21 takes the position 21A to clear the movement of a charge car 58. Any suitable hoisting mechanism for the wall 21 may be provided and is not shown.

The parts of frame 25 and wall 21 being movable, must make when functioning as walls for the stock to be sintered, a fairly air tight joint with the supporting structure bounding the grate. This structure is also the top bounding edge of the suction chamber. The two end walls 28 are made up of adaptable structural shapes finished at top and bottom vwith plates or bars. These end walls 28 have their Weight partly carried on rollers 33 and 35, but at the start of their travel cycle and at the nsh the whole weight is carried on the bearing surfaceof the zigzag bar 46 (see Figs. 6 and 8). This is placed underneath the bottom plate of wall 28 and attached to the This bearing bar 46 is so shaped that any pieces of sinter getting under the bottom plate of wall 28 and on bar 46 will be rolled off of the bar allowing the plate of 28 to rest on the bar with a fairly air tight fit. This type of joint will give long wear before renewal will be necessary. Front wall 26 and back wall 21 are also made up of adaptable structural shapes. The bottom of the front side 26, (see Fig. 7) will come to rest on the narrow raised bearing surface of bar 41 attached to bed plate 41A, giving an air tight joint with little wear. Several pieces 26B shaped to ride up on the bar 41, are attached to the wall 26. The bottom of the back wall 21, (Fig. 9) has a wedge shaped bar 48 attached. As the back wall 21 is dropped to position to close the U shaped frame 25, the narrow bearing surface of the bar 48 will cut through sinter o n the level bed plate 48A and make an air tight joint. The space between the end walls 28 of the adjacent frames 25 is lled level with the top of ends ...28, (see Fig. 6) by a plate 49 which is supported by the extended grate supporting beam structure 29A. Sinter stock getting into the pocket between adjacent frames 25 is conveyed by spouting to the fines conveyor.

As stated, the inside faces of the walls forming the pan (the several parts of the frame 25 and the rear wall 21), are in line with the outside lines of the grate. This gives full suction or draft up to the inside face of the walls. However, as a means of reducing the sticking of the sinter to the walls, the draft and the burning at the inside face of the walls is reduced by stopping the grate surface some distance inside of the face of the pan walls, in other words, to have the frame 25 and the rear wall 21, form an enclosing space extending beyond the sides of the grate 29. A prism of sinter stock along the inside face of the walls is formed, as such stock has less draft and is not fully sintered. This is easy to break away from the sides vof the walls. The prism of sinter stock defined by points 28B and 29B in Fig. 10, doesV not get full draft from grate 29.

The end wall 28 bears on the surface-f the zig-: 4 zag bar 4,6 supported on its base 46B (FigilOL The'wall 28 is offset from the suction chamber 19,"and a space 96 Vis formed. A similar space extends inside of the walls 26 and 21, oisettng the walls from the suction chamber 19. f

The suction break valve 86 (Fig. 1)*gives a means of equalizing the air pressure on the top and bottom of the sinter cake after burning is completed. Holding the sinter cake under equal pressures aids in quenching the re in the cake by stopping the flow of air. The oxygen in the cake will soon be exhaustedl when no further supply of air is admitted into the sinter cake.

The sinter breaker roller 3| (Figs. 1 and 4), placed back of the sinter pan 25 and; equipped with spikes 3|A is so placed as to engage and break the sinter cake into pieces ofthe desired size, and is driven by the sinter cake being forced under it. Exceptional conditions may require additional power.

The broken sinter is shoved down across the screen or grizzly and is separated from the Y nes and dust before itpasses through the dust curtain 1| onto the platform 12. The nes ow through hopper 13 upon the fines conveyor 1d. Dust laden air is drawn from around the roller 3| and from the dust curtain 1| through the grizzly 19 and the damper 15A into the ducts 15 and 18, through the suction fan 11 and discharged through duct 18 to the dust collectors.

The suction chamber 19 (Figs. l and 3) is air tight and the suction produced by the fan 88 is exerted on the whole under side of the grate 29. The bottom of the suction chamber is hopper shaped. The sinter nes falling through the grate are collected and discharged upon the conveyor 14 through a door 81 closing air tight.

Each suction intake 8| (Fig. l) at the suction chamber connects through a duct with an expansion section 82 and through air valve 83 to the fan suction manifold 84. Connected to this suction duct is the suction break valve 86. To prevent, to some extent, sinter from entering the duct a cover 85 is put over intake 8|. Discharged 1 gases in duct 88 are handled asV may be required. The air valve 83, (Figs. 1 and 5) has a gate 89 running in guide 90 and closing against seat 9| with an operating rod 92. The valve body is air tight and has anges or other means to connect into the duct line. The bottom of the valve body is droppedbelow the air flow to form a pocket 93 to collect sinter. A baille 94 directs the sinter down into the pocket. An air tight cleanout door 95 is provided for the pocket.

Operating accessories as known, include the charge car 59 (Figs. 1 and 3) which travels on an elevated track 59 (Fig.v 3). One car is used to charge the number of pans generally used in a bank. The car may have several hoppers depending on the way the charge is prepared and bedded. One type of car 59 giving good bedding for the type of sinter pan has two hoppers 53 and 55 suspended in the truck frame having the gates 52 and 54 with discharges at the sintering pan 25 level. The known traversing and operating mechanism, parts of which will be on platforms 56 and 5|, is not shown. Hopper 53 is filled with a ne sinter that will be retained on the grate; hopper 55 is lled with prepared sinter stock. The charge is bedded while the car is in motion. A thin layer of sinter is placed on the grate` and on this sinter layer is placed the layer of prepared sinter stock. The two hoppers 53 and 55 on the car 50 are lled from storage hoppers 51 and 58.

Thesefmaterials are prepared and put in' these' storage hoppers by common and Wellv known means; special top surface leveling mechanisms in the hoppers may or may not be used.

The known ignition hood 60 (Fig. 3), abov the sintering pan 25, is suspended from the truck 6| traveling Voiielevated track 59. One hood is used to ignite the pans in the number of pans generally used in a bank. The sinter stock in this type of sintering pan 25 is ignited by a flame in the hood;f several burners may be used; two burners 62 are shown. No fuel storage or burner equipment and no traversing equipment is shownand other features'making a complete hood are not shown. Y y From Fig. 3 it is seen that the charge car 58 moves along the trackl 59 Yfrom its position shown in full lines to the position over a sinter frame 25. Also, the hood 6|] with its ignition means, is moved by the truck 6|, along the track 59. The side discharge movement of the sinter frame 25; in thefembodiment shown, is in a direction at right Yangles tothe direction of movement of either the charge car 59 ror the hood 60.

Practically all of the equipment in the central operating combination is serviced by the traveling crane 65 (Figs. 1 and 3).

Parts of the structure including pieces 66, 61, 98 and slab 69 (Fig. 1) are so fabricated as to safely take the stresses developed by the chain 31 pull and the vbreakerroller 3| reaction.

From the foregoing it is noted that thesinter is broken at a point distant from the grate. After the sinter leaves the breaker roller 3| it is separated from the fines by a grizzly 19 or other screening means and dust is removed before it is discharged into the platform 12 for shipping or further processing. The sinter fines falling through thegrate 29 of the sintering pan and the rines screened from the broken sinter collected in hopper 13, are discharged onto a fines conveyor 14 carrying them into the sinter stock preparing partof the plant. The above described equipment combination and process produces a dry sinter, the quenching and dust collecting beingv accomplished by air.

lI wish it tobe understood that yI do not desire to be limited to theeXact details of construction shown and described,l for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. In a batch sintering plant having a stationary horizontally disposed grate, and a bed plate, having its upper surface on a level with the upper surface of the grate and surrounding the grate, the combination of a surrounding frame of end and side walls above the grate having its walls along the margin of said grate for sintering stock to a sinter cake therein while above the grate, bearing bars on said bed plate between said frame and the grate level, and means for moving the frame from above the grate to a position free of the grate.

2. In a batch sintering plant having a stationary horizontally disposed grate, and a bed plate, having its upper surface on a level with the upper surface of the grate and surrounding the grate, the combination of a frame above the grate and surrounding said grate, for sintering stock to a sinter cake therein, while above the grate, means for moving said frame from above the grate to a position free of the grate, said frame having two spaced end walls disposed longitudinally aligned with the direction of movement of said frame when moved away fronrthe eratelto a position freeof; the grate, and; having" two spaced frontk and rear walls transverse to said direction of movement, and bearing bars on saidbed plate and attached thereto, below said end walls, said bearing bars having a continuous zigzag contour to provide an airtight selfcleaning contact between the lower surfaces of said end walls and the upper surfaces of the bearing bars, ,during said movement of the grate. 3. In a batch sintering plant having a stationary horizontallyvdisposed grate, and a bed plate having its uppersurface on a level with the upper surface of the grate and surrounding the grate, the combination of a sinter frame above the grate and surrounding the grate, the said sinter frame consisting of a connecting front wall, two end wallsforrning a U frame, and a back closing wall, the backA closing wall having a wedge shaped projection with its apex extending downwardly, means for moving the back closing wall up and away from the U-shaped frame and returning the said back closing wall to its original position, said apex cutting through any sinter on he bed plate givingy an air tight contact. "'-4;,The structure of claim l, in which an end wall of the frame has a rearward extension, and the said means for moving the frame from above the grate to a position free of the grate, include a pair of horizontally aligned vertical sprockets, onedriving sprocket at a distance rearward from an extension substantially equal to the length of the end wall of the frame, thev other sprocket above said extension, and a chain having one end secured to the lower side of said extension, projecting in line with said end wall passing under and over the driving sprocket, and over and under the other sprocket above the said extension, and secured to the top of said extension, the frame being adapted to be moved from the position over the grate to away from the grate by rotating the driving sprocket in one direction and returned to.` the original position over the grate by rotating the driving sprocket in the opposite direction.

v5. The structure of claim 1 in which the rear side wall is detachable from the frame, means for moving the rear side wall up andout of its position in the horizontal plane of the frame, and outward away from over the grate, and means 8Y to return saidwall to its .original position -in the frame. i 6. The structure of claim l in which the inside face of each side and end wall of the frame is horizontally spaced outwardly beyond the corref sponding margin of the grate forming a marginal area made impervious to he flow of gases.

7. In a batch sintering plant having a stationary horizontally disposed grate, a bed plate along each end and each side of the grate, the upper surface of each end and side parts of the bed plate to be level with the top of the grate, a bearing bar attached to the top of each end part and to the top of the front side part of the bed plate, a-grate surrounding U vframe consisting of two end and a front side wall rigidly connected together locatedonsaid bearing bars, a fourth detachable rear wall'for the U-shaped frame to form the sinter retaining frame, a wedge shaped baron said rear wall, the apex of the wedge shaped bar resting on the rear side bed plate, meansmoving said detachable rear wall away from the U shaped frame, and means moving. said U frameaway from said grate.

8. The structure of claim 1, with means for returning frame to above the grate, a charger for supplying the frame with stock when the frame is above the grate, an ignition hood for igniting said stock, a pair of rails above the frame for the charger and ignition hood, and supports for the rails laterally of the frame, to enable the charger and ignition hood to act within the supports and within the frame, the direction of said rails, and the .direction of movement of said charger and ignition hood, being at right angles to the direction of movement of the frame from above the grate to away from the grate and in return.

. WALTER KELSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

' vUNITED STATES PATENTS 

